The Forgotten Ones
by Ptrst
Summary: When Neville arrived at the library quite a while later, he heard a faint, controlled sobbing coming from behind one of the bookcases. He searched for the source of the noise. It was Luna Lovegood. PG-13, just in case. COMPLETE!
1. Second Impressions

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!

Chapter One

Second Impressions

Neville Longbottom woke up in his sixth year dormitory to complete and utter silence, half an hour after lessons started. _Oh great, they've all left. Forgotten me again._ He willed himself out of bed and dressed, realizing minutes too late that it was Saturday. No lessons. No need to be awake. _Oh well. Might as well go down to breakfast._

He arrived at the Great Hall shortly, and tried to find a seat at Gryffindor table that wasn't near Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. _Well, maybe they won't notice I'm there,_ he hoped. He was right. In fact, no one noticed that he was there. So he left.

_Might as well get some homework done_, he thought._ After all, it's not like I have anything better to do._ So he grabbed his parchment, quill, and ink from his Gryffindor dormitory and set off for the library, very much alone.

When he arrived at the library quite a while later (he had gotten lost), he heard a faint, controlled sobbing coming from behind one of the bookcases. He set his things down at table number 7 and searched for the source of the noise. It was a Ravenclaw fifth year and member of the DA, Luna Lovegood. It was strange to see her crying since she was normally so happy. _Well, maybe happy isn't exactly the word to describe her. Content. Content is a much better word. But it doesn't matter how I would describe her, since she's crying right now_.

Neville was nervous, approaching her. He wasn't exactly the person people wanted to see very often. And he thought he was likely to make everything worse. But she was his friend.

"Hey, Luna. Are you okay?" He asked. _Stupid question. Of course she's not okay. If she was okay, she wouldn't be crying._

Luna looked up, embarrassed. "Yeah, I'm okay." _Not that he really cares,_ she thought.

"What's wrong?"

"The thing is, I'm not exactly sure." _Yes I am._ She thought.

"Have you had breakfast yet?"

"I'm not really hungry."

"You wanna go outside, then? Maybe talk?"

"Yeah, okay. Talking is good."


	2. A Miniature Confession

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!

Author's note: Sorry this is so small, but I couldn't think of a way to continue the conversation any further. I'll try to make it up in the next chapter, though.

Ch. 2

A Mini-Confession

So they talked. They stayed outside for hours, just sitting by the lake and talking. They really weren't saying much. Classes, weather, that kind of stuff, not anything that either of them really cared about. Finally, Neville asked the question he had been wanting to ask ever since he heard her in the library.

"Why were you crying?"

"Everything's missing. People refuse to talk to me. It doesn't normally bother me, but for some reason, I just felt like, I dunno, I can't handle it, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. At least people look twice at you. I could run naked, screaming, through the Great Hall in the middle of dinner, and nobody would notice."

"I would notice."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean, I notice everything you do."

Neville got very nervous at that. Surely, Luna didn't…

"Now what's that supposed to-" Neville never got to finish his statement;

Luna was hurrying back towards the school, face buried in her hands.


	3. Ch 3

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!

Author's note: Any input would be greatly appreciated since I recently came down with a terrible disease commonly known as "Writer's Block". Even something bad, just so I know you're reading it! 

Ch. 3

Questions Answered

_What was that all about?_ Neville asked himself twenty minutes later as he began to walk back to the castle. He tried waiting for Luna to come back, to explain herself. He tried reasoning it out with himself. But all he could come up with was the most absurd idea that had ever flown into his head.

"'I notice everything you do.' What the hell is that supposed to mean? She couldn't possibly – No, that's just stupid. It must be something else." But all the same, his mind kept bringing up a picture of her face, no matter how hard he tried to erase it.

Still thinking of Luna, Neville arrived in the Gryffindor common room, where he found fifth year Ginny Weasley. "Ginny," he said, desperate, "what's up with that Lovegood girl?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, this morning, I found her hidden in the library, crying behind a bookshelf. So I asked her if she wanted to talk, and we went out by the lake, where she said that she 'notices everything I do'. Then, she just ran off like a maniac without saying another word."

Ginny giggled. "It's no wonder Hermione gets mad at having to explain these things to Harry and Ron, boys are so stupid sometimes. Luna… Well, Luna fancies you. But do NOT let her know that I told you. She would never forgive me."

"Oh. Thanks. And don't worry. I won't tell her."

Neville went up to his dormitory, feeling a lot better about himself. 


	4. ch 4

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!

A/N: It's really short again, I know, but that's the best I could do. I still need some reviews, please, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ch. 4

Change of Heart

Luna Lovegood didn't know why she ran off like that. It wasn't like her to avoid questions, but she didn't think she could answer the one he was about to ask. "Why did I have to say that?" She asked herself out loud. And when she received no answer, she asked Ginny, knowing that she would have to explain herself.

"Luna, I don't know. Neither does Neville, actually, he was asking me about it."

"WHAT?!?!"

"Yeah, he wanted to know what was up with you. Apparently he found you crying, and you walked around outside and talked, and you got all weird and ran off."

"Umm, yeah, the thing about that is, I…"

"Luna, I know you like Neville. You should tell him, he was really worried about you. He deserves to know."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Neville woke up Sunday morning smiling, though it took him a minute to remember why. He was the first person awake, and he walked out to the grounds to watch the sun rise. He found himself sitting at the exact same place near the lake where he sat with Luna the day before. And he saw Luna sitting there too. When the sun was completely up, and the sky was a bright blue, he was about to stand up and walk back to the castle when Luna's voice anchored him to the ground.

"Neville," she said, voice shaking slightly. "There's something I ought to tell you. But I'm not exactly sure how. Neville…" She never finished her sentence. Neville said something he had been wanting to say all morning.

"Luna, I think I might like you." And this time, it was he who walked off, leaving a very surprised Luna thinking that the sky had never been that beautiful.


	5. ch 5

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!

Author's Note: PLEASE review; if you don't take the few seconds to review, I have no way of knowing whether or not my story is pure garbage. If you take the time to read it, please take the time to let me know you've read it!

Ch. 5

Solutions and Problems

Luna sought out Ginny on Monday. She hadn't seen Neville since Sunday morning, and she had the distinct impression that he was avoiding her, as she told Ginny in Herbology. "It's almost like he knew what I was about to say, and he said it for me."

"So, find him and tell him that."

"But he's been avoiding me, I can tell."

"He wouldn't have said that if he didn't want to see you."

"How am I going to find him? We're in different houses and different years."

Ginny thought for a second, then came up with what was, in her mind, the perfect solution. "Saturday morning, before the sun comes up, go out to the tree where you two were talking on Sunday and watch the sunrise. He'll be there."

"But what if he tries to leave again?"

"I don't know. Think of something."

"Well, if someone else was there with us…"

"Please don't tell me you're thinking what I think you're thinking."

"Come with, please, just in case he leaves again!"

"Luna, no, I couldn't! It's too personal. I can't just sit there next to you like that!"

"Well, what if you weren't alone…"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Say you were with someone, too. Then it wouldn't be too weird."

"One problem. Who would I sit with?"

"I'll come up with something. Who do you want to sit with? I can arrange anything you want, just tell me who."

"Luna, I don't really care. I don't really want to be there. But I'll come. Find someone to go with, and I'll come."


	6. ch 6

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!

Author's Note: Since I have yet to have someone tell me that my story is terrible, I'm taking that as license to continue. But, again, please review!

I've just read through some of the chapters, and changed a few things; Nothing important, I think, but they should be a little easier to read now.

Thanks to EvilSquirrelScientist and Untamed Shrew for their reviews! Five cookies to each of you!

Ch. 6

"Hermione," Ginny said, breathless, having just ran to the Gryffindor common room from her last lesson, "I need your help."

"With what?"

Ginny thought for a moment about the best way to present her problem without embarrassing Neville or Luna. "I need to get Neville to go somewhere at a specific time, to meet somebody."

"Who?" Hermione asked, intrigued.

"Umm… Sorry, but I can't really tell you. I promised a friend…"

"It's Luna, right?"

Ginny was stunned. "How did you…"

"Please. It's only obvious that she fancies him. You might as well tell me the where, so I can help you."

"You know that big tree down on the western end of the lake?"

"Okay." Silence, for a moment. Then, "Does Neville want to meet Luna?"

"I don't exactly know. He said that he liked her, but he's been avoiding her since then."

"Just, tell him that she really needs to talk to him, and tell him the where and the when." Hermione pulled Ginny in close, and whispered her next words. "I don't know if you've noticed, but Neville is a bit, well, sensitive, about certain things."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, well, if you want Neville to come, there are certain things that you shouldn't bring up." Ginny gave Hermione a blank stare. "Just, be nice to him, but don't talk down to him. Do NOT compare him to other people, don't try saying that, like, 'so-and-so would be more than happy to go'." 

There was a look of understanding on Ginny's face as she realized the true importance of this advice.


	7. ch 7

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!

Author's Note: Yay! I have reviews! Some of you gave me good, useful advice, so I'm going to take it. I've only just seen that I wasn't accepting anonymous reviews, so I changed that. 

Author's Note: I realize that I've shown Ginny more that Neville, so I'm going to try to make the next few chapters focus more on him. As always, reviews are appreciated, let me know what works and what doesn't.

Author's Note: Yeah, I know I have a lot of these on this chapter. I guess I just have a lot to say. Anyway, I think you deserve to know that I'm not very happy with Ron and Harry right now, which is why they're shown in a negative light. That might change, but I doubt it. So I'm trying to keep them out of the story as much as possible. Just so you know, that is completely and totally intentional.

Author's Note: Last one, I promise. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who's read this. There's a lot of excellent fanfics out, and I'm glad to know that at least some people think that mine is worth reading. FYI, this is my first attempt at a real fanfic. 

Ch. 7

Neville still couldn't figure out what made him say that. But he knew it was true. He hadn't seen Luna since his admission, and he was starting to think that she was purposely avoiding him. He found himself constantly looking across the Great Hall at mealtimes, hoping to see her looking back. But she never was. He hadn't smiled since before he told her. He had more trouble in his lessons than usual; he just couldn't concentrate on anything. Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher, noticed a definite change in his attitude. On Monday, he cut the branch of the Tremoring Tulip he was working on too short, and green pus squirted out the injury. Herbology was his best subject.

After being yelled at by Professor McGonagall during Transfiguration on Wednesday for accidentally vanishing the rabbit he was supposed to be turning into a hamster, he decided he needed help.

Neville decided to skip dinner. He hadn't been hungry lately. And he knew that he would need a lot of time alone for what he was about to do. He knew it would be more private if he went to his dormitory, but he went to the library, instead, because it made him think of Luna.

_Fred ~_

He began to write what had to be the hardest letter he ever had to write

_I have a problem. _He didn't even know why he was writing to Fred. _You know Luna Lovegood? _He never even really talked to Fred while he was at Hogwarts. _That weird blonde Ravenclaw girl? _He doubted Fred even remembered who Neville was. _I – well, I like her. _It was better to just say it straight out. _And, she said that she likes me, too._ The hard part was, in his mind, over. _But I think she's avoiding me. _No, the hardest part was yet to come. _And I need to talk to her. _His hand was shaking. _She's not in my year, so I don't have any classes with her. And DA meetings have been postponed, because of the Quidditch season. _The hard part was really over this time. He was writing steadily.

_But I need to see her. I can't think of any way to find her, but I need to. Will you help me?_

_~ Neville_

When he had finished the letter, he put it in an envelope, wrote the address of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley and went up to the Owlery. He called down one of the few school owls that weren't out hunting, attached the letter to its leg, and walked back to his dormitory, where he lay awake for hours, feeling very much relieved.


	8. ch 8

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!

Author's Note: I'm in the mood to write. I've only finished chapter 7 a few seconds ago, and I honestly have no idea what to write now. But I'm going to write, so if this chapter ends up being complete trash, let me know and I'll change it.

Author's Note: Yeah, I know I like author's notes. What can I say; I'm just weird like that! So, review, please, because it makes me happy when I know that people read what I write. So even if you just want to tell me that I'm a terribly writer and I should stop immediately, tell me. If you don't feel like reviewing it through the usual methods, my e-mail is HPCLeader@msn.com, and I don't mind being e-mailed for any reason at all. Oh, except advertising. Advertising = bad.

Author's Note: This chapter might not have too much to do with Neville or Luna, I'm not quite sure yet. But just be warned.

Author's Note: Okay, you can go now. Thanks for reading it, and I truly hope you enjoy.

Ch. 8

Fred Weasley was surprised to find the owl sitting on the counter of his store when he showed up for work Thursday morning. He was even more surprised when he looked down at the signature and saw that it was from Neville Longbottom. It wasn't that Fred didn't like Neville; but they weren't really friends. When he had finished reading the letter, he laughed out loud. Because he did remember Loony Lovegood, a strange girl who was in the D.A. last term. So he finished opening up, took out a piece of parchment and quill, and began to write.

_Neville ~ _

_I'm glad to hear you've finally gotten yourself a girl! Okay, all jokes aside, it sounds like you need some serious help._

Fred paused in his writing to show a customer what a Canary Cream does. The customer was pleased at the effect, but slightly angry when he learned that it would take an hour for the feathers to fall off. Fred had to wait for the effect to wear off and the customer to leave the store before he continued his letter.

_I'm still trying to figure out why you wrote to me. Wouldn't Ron or Harry be more convenient? _

_Unfortunately, I don't have much advice for you. It seems like the hardest part is already been taken care of. Sit by her at mealtimes, walk her to her classes when you can, that kind of stuff. Ask her to go to Hogsmeade with you the next time. You're always welcome in here._

Fred heard George come in, so he quickly signed the parchment and gave it to the owl.

"Writing to Angelina again?" George asked.

"What? Oh, no. Just helping out a friend."


	9. ch 9

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!  
  
Author's Note: I haven't gotten up from the computer since I finished chapter seven. I guess that since my writer's block has lifted, I'm just enjoying that, and writing as much as I can until I have to stop.  
  
Author's Note: I know it's somewhat futile for me to keep asking for reviews, since there's no possible way that you could have reviewed chapters 7 & 8 while I'm writing this (they haven't been posted yet), but still, I have to ask. So review, please, if only to tell me that I can't write.  
  
Author's Note: I still like to put multiple author's notes, yes, and I'm sorry if they bore you. But, again, thank you for reading what I've written. Now, let the story begin!  
  
Ch. 9  
  
Neville didn't think Fred would have time to reply so soon. So when he found an owl sitting in front of him at dinner Thursday night, he was startled. But he knew who it was from, and waited until he got to the common room to open it.  
  
(Author's Note: Since no one helped me, I'm going to try again at writing this chapter. I have a feeling that this chapter may be slightly difficult to write, so I'm sorry if it shows in the quality of the work. Well, here goes nothing.)  
  
It seemed to Neville that the letter had stated what was mostly common sense. Fred had told Neville to be around her more often, but not how to get over the strange, rather jumpy feeling he got when he was around Luna, nor did he say whether the jumpiness was a good thing or a bad thing.  
  
Neville realized that he was probably better off without the letter; he would just keep thinking about what he was supposed to do when around Luna instead of just enjoying her company. He had half a mind to throw the letter into the fire; but, useful or not, Fred's words had assured him that he already knew what to do; the only problem was getting up the courage to act on his instincts.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was Thursday, and Luna Lovegood was getting more and more nervous every day. The week was more than halfway gone already, and there were only two more days until she was to meet Neville at the lake. Luna had no idea how Ginny was planning on getting Neville to show up, but she had faith in her red-haired friend. Meanwhile, she had promised Ginny that she would be able to find someone to sit with her, too. She had no idea how she was going to arrange that, but she knew she had to.  
  
As she sat at the Ravenclaw table Thursday night, absent-mindedly pushing her food around her plate, watching the comings and goings of assorted students across the hall, she had a brilliant idea. She wasn't sure if it would work, but she had heard something a few weeks ago; no one bothered to keep their voices down while around Luna. And that just might be the saving of her! 


	10. ch 10

Author's Note: I think I might have gotten over my severe case of writer's block. Sorry if the last entry is a little… strange… but that's the only way I could manage to finish it.

Author's Note: This is the tenth chapter, so, as promised, there's a little surprise added in here. Enjoy!

Author's Note: I'm not quite sure how this chapter is going to be, there's quite a bit of thinking and imagining, but I tried to make it interesting! 

Author's Note: As always, please review! I'm sorry that a while ago, I wasn't accepting anonymous reviews, but that was completely unintentional, and I have no problem with them whatsoever, because anonymous reviews give the same amount of help, encouragement, whatever, as the signed ones.

Author's Note: I can't believe I've made it to ten chapters! I almost always give up before this!

Author's Note: Thank you, as always, for taking your time to read this. I feel all happy and special inside! J

Chapter 10

Preparations and Meetings

Saturday morning at last! Ginny, Luna, and Neville all awoke in different rooms but with the same general feeling. Ginny had put off asking Neville to go until Friday night, at dinner, and she had kept in mind everything that Hermione had told her. As she awoke, the scene replayed automatically in her head.

_The sky was clear, dotted with stars. Neville was shaking slightly, as if he were nervous about something. About what, Ginny didn't even want to hazard a guess._

_Besides, she had a mission. She had chosen to wait until the last minute to ask because she was afraid that, if she gave him too much advance warning, would change his mind. She was hoping that she could startle him into agreeing to go, and not give him a chance to change his mind._

_"Neville," she said, shaking slightly herself. 'What if it doesn't work' she asked herself. But he knew she had to try. "Tomorrow morning, before the sun comes up, will you go to the tree where…" People were listening, she could tell. "The tree on the western end of the lake? You know the one. Just, go there while it's still dark, and stay there until the sun comes up. I think you know why." Neville nodded his head, looking slightly ill and relieved at the same time, and Ginny walked back to her seat, feeling much the same._

And as Ginny thought of this, Neville woke, himself, feeling wide-awake even though he had barely slept at all. He felt very much relieved that he didn't have to weave through throngs of students who were oblivious to his presence in order to find Luna. But he did wish that he had had the courage to talk to Luna without being asked to. He wished that she was in Gryffindor, or a year older, or both. He wished that he saw her every day, and that she talked to him whenever she saw him in corridors, and, though he never really liked people to talk about him, he wished in some small part that he could announce his feelings for Luna in front of the entire school, and that Luna could do the same for him. He pictured it in his mind.

_The entire student body was gathered in the Great Hall, and the staff as well. Neville Longbottom was standing next to Luna Lovegood on a raised platform on one side of the huge room, visible to all. He heard his voice sound louder and stronger than usual, as he said the most unusual thing he had ever heard himself say._

_"I have something very important to announce." The room was silent now, not even the Slytherins were whispering. "I LOVE LUNA LOVEGOOD!" He shouted the last part as he had never shouted before. He stepped back, and Luna began to talk._

Neville shook himself out of his daydream before he heard Luna speak. The absurdity of it all refused to allow it to continue. He was slightly disappointed, but he remembered that he was expected before daybreak, and he definitely didn't want to be late. He pulled on his socks, lit a candle, and started out for the lake.

Luna woke to the sound of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack that her father had recorded and sent to her. For one of the first times in her life, Luna Lovegood was nervous. Of course, no one would have been able to tell just by looking at her. She wasn't shaking, her face wasn't unusually pale and she wasn't blushing. She spent only a few moments longer than usual choosing what earrings to wear (in the shape of cows today), and she looked in the mirror only twice.

But she had a knack for looking permanently calm and unattached. Inside, she was screaming in fear and joy. The butterflies in her stomach just had children.

She was nervous about Neville, of course; after all, he was the entire reason she was up at that hour of the morning. But she was also worried about Ginny. What is her "date" didn't show? But Luna had a feeling that he would. It had taken her an unusually long amount of time to write the letter asking him to come. She wasn't sure how she wanted it to sound.

_I know something about you that precious few know. I know the secret that sets your soul afire. _

If it wasn't dramatic, he wouldn't give it a second thought. Better to overstate than understate.

_I know who you yearn for. And I know where you can meet her._

No use in hiding the reason for the letter. But no reason for not drawing it out.

_Rise before the sun on Saturday, and watch it wake. The perfect viewpoint is the large, yellow and green tree on the western end of the lake._

If the closing isn't good, the letter is useless.

_She'll be expecting you, and a gentleman never keeps a lady waiting._

So it was written. Luna decided to not sign her name, because if he knew it was from her, he wouldn't go. She didn't mention any names, because she didn't want anyone to know who it was, and, when something belonged to Luna, the school considered it public property.

So, absent-mindedly twirling her hair around her index finger, Luna left her dormitory, feeling very much afraid.

Ginny arrived first. She was disappointed that she had to sit alone in the dark until Luna and Neville came. She barely gave a second thought to the person that Luna had invited to sit with Ginny. It didn't really matter. No matter what Luna said, there was no way that she could get the person Ginny really wanted to see to show up; and Luna didn't even know who that person was. A few years ago, Ginny would have been hoping that somehow Luna managed to convince Harry to show up; a few months ago, she would have just come with Dean. But she considered Harry as no more than a friend now, and she ended it with Dean last month when she caught him in an empty classroom with Parvati Patil.

She heard the sound of leaves rustling on the ground near her; she looked up and saw the last person she expected and the only one she had hoped for. She didn't think that he was there for her, so she didn't want to say anything incriminating.

"Malfoy. What are you doing here?"


	11. ch 11

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!

Author's Note: I hope you liked that last chapter! I don't exactly support the Ginny/Draco ship, but I'm not really a firm supporter of the Neville/Luna ship, either. I was going to make it be a random character of no real importance, but then I realized that the meeting was going to be the tenth chapter, so I decided to make it interesting. You really don't need to know all this, though, so yeah. As always, please review, and be brutally honest. I've had no negative comments at all, and I know that this story isn't perfect, so I'm waiting for someone to point out the flaws. 23.5 cookies to the first person to point out a major flaw!!! Okay now you can read it!

Ch. 11

Draco Malfoy didn't reply at first to the voice he knew so well. He wasn't sure what to say. Somehow, someone had found out that he wanted Ginny to be his own. And that someone told him to be at this exact place, told him that she would be there. If she was there, which in itself he doubted, he had been expecting a warmer welcome than "What are you doing here?"

"I have every right to walk around in the morning, muggle-lover. What are you doing?"

Ginny was immediately disappointed. He wasn't there for her, after all. Of course, she had been stupid to even hope. It was a good thing that she hadn't said anything more.

"I'm… meeting someone, not that it's any of your business!" She felt like crying, but she didn't. She refused to let him see her cry.

"Oh." He said simply, and he understood. "I'm supposed to meet someone, too." It wouldn't mean anything, unless she knew already.

"Right here?" He nodded his head. "When?"

"Now." He took in a deep breath, and prepared for a huge disappointment. "Who are you meeting?"

To his surprise, she laughed. "The truth is," she said, "I'm not exactly sure.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, my friend Luna told me to come here and meet someone, but she never told me who." _It's better to not include the part about her and Neville_, Ginny thought. "Who are you meeting?" she asked, hoping beyond hope that he would say her. 

But he never got a chance to answer. Because at that very moment, Luna came ambling across the grounds, looking, as usual, as if she had came in quite by accident.

"Draco. I see you got my letter."

"That was from you?"

"What letter?" asked Ginny anxiously.

"The letter I got the other night, telling me to come here and meet… Well, the letter said," he fished it out of his pocket, " 'the one I yearn for'."

"And who is that?" Her voice was hopeful.

"Some muggle-loving redheaded fifth year girl."

Ginny almost shrieked in joy! But, of course, she couldn't, because, as far as Ginny knew, Draco didn't know that Ginny had a crush on him. How did Luna know?

"Luna," began Ginny incredulously, pulling her off to the side, "How on earth did you know?"

"When I'm around, people don't think I listen, so they don't bother to lower their voices. Oh, the things I could tell you…"

"Wait, so people know that I…"

"That you fancy Draco? Yes. Well," she said, seeing the look on Ginny's face, "not that many people. Just a couple. The people I heard talking about it were very trustworthy. Nothing they talk about ever gets around to the rest of the school. Don't worry about that."

"But who…"

"If I told you that, then you would end up talking to them about it, and they would figure out how you found out that they knew, and people would stop talking in front of me. It's really better that you don't find out, anyway." Luna was annoyingly calm as she said this, while Ginny wanted to scream and shout. Ginny felt she wanted to make Luna scream and shout, as well. "Ginny," said Luna after a moment's pause, "I think Malfoy's getting a little lonely. You don't want to keep your date waiting, do you?" Ginny walked back to Draco, almost tripping over her feet.


	12. 12

DISCLAIMER: Nothing's mine, except the specific order in which these words are placed. The same goes for the rest of the chapters, too. The characters, places, etc, aren't mine, they all belong to other people (namely J.K. Rowling), so don't sue me, please!

Author's Note: Sorry about the ending, I guess I'm allergic to real closure. He he he. 

Author's Note: I know, Luna's not very Luna-like in the last one, but it's hard to write someone completely random, at least for me. 

Author's Note: Well, as usual, review, and I hope you enjoy. 23.7 cookies to the first one to point out some major flaw that I haven't already admitted to! 

Author's Note: This chapter was originally going to be about Draco, but I decided against it, since there really wasn't much to put. 

Author's Note: This is the last chapter. I didn't plan on ending it here, but that's just what happened. If anyone has any suggestions, they can always just send them to me, because sometime in the future, I plan to go back and re-write some, if not all, of the chapters.

Author's Note: I really don't want to stop writing this, but I have to. So tell me, through reviews, e-mail (HPCLeader@msn.com), whatever, if you'd rather have a sequel, a totally different story, or just a more in-depth look at this one. I promise you, though, whatever it is, I'm not going to be missing from this site for very long.

Author's Note: Okay, now read!

Ch. 12

Luna felt very pleased with herself. She managed to get Draco to show up, and that made Ginny happy, which made Luna happy. She mentally thanked Padma Patil, who had been talking with her sister, Parvati, and Parvati's best friend, Lavender Brown, about Ginny and Draco outside the Ravenclaw common room a while ago.

Draco seemed relieved to finally have his feelings out in the open, while Ginny still seemed nervous around him. But she was getting along fairly well, sitting with him under the beech tree in the dark, talking about nothing, really, just as Luna and Neville had been that day. It was only a week ago in reality, but it seemed like much longer. It seemed like it took a lifetime for Neville to even notice Luna; the wait for him to come meet her underneath the beech tree by the lake took even longer.

But he came. He came on time, which was different, but in a good way. The by the time they had each said "hello", the sun was beginning to rise, and for once, they felt no need to be silent for it.

Luna wasn't exactly sure how she should bring up the subject of Neville avoiding her. So she did it completely randomly, as was her custom.

"Neville, why have you been avoiding me lately?"

He looked shocked. "I haven't. You've been avoiding me. I've tried looking for you at mealtimes, and you're always there, but you never look back. You haven't been in the library lately, and…"

There was the sound of a small squeak in the background; Draco had just playfully knocked Ginny over. Luna and Neville ignored it.

"Well, I've been looking across the Great Hall at mealtimes, and I can never even see you, and I've always been able to see you. I've been looking all over the grounds for you, and whenever I see you, you just walk away."

Ginny couldn't help but laugh, and neither could Draco. Neville, feeling slightly embarrassed, remembered that there were other people present. "Well," said Ginny, brushing the grass off of herself from when she fell. "I think we'll leave you two alone. Obviously, this is a private conversation, and we wouldn't want to intrude…" she was fighting back laughter, Neville could see it in her face; but he didn't care. Ginny pulled Draco to his feet and dragged him off to somewhere else. The sun had fully risen, and it looked to be a bright, sunshiny day.

Neville and Luna sat there, under the beech tree, for hours, talking but not really saying much. Finally, Luna said something that she had been meaning to say for weeks.

"Neville," she began, carefully choosing her words, "Remember what you said, last Saturday, after you found me in the library? You said that you could run through the Great Hall, naked and screaming, and no one would notice." Neville remembered. "Well, guess what?" She asked, scooting closer to him. "I notice everything you do." She kissed him.

"Luna," he began, choosing his words carefully as well, "Remember what you said, last Saturday, after I found you in the library? I asked you why you were crying and you told me that 'people pretend to be your friend, but you know that as soon as you turn around, they're saying stuff about you, and some people won't talk to you at all.'" She was surprised that he remembered exactly what she had said, but didn't comment on it. "I promise you that I really am your friend, and I'll always be willing to talk to you."

To his surprise, Luna shook her head no. "You're wrong, Neville," she said. "You're not my friend. You're so much more than that." 

Author's Note: Sorry about the cutesy little ending, but that's what happened. I'm going to miss writing this story so much! Thanks a ton to my readers, and especially to the people who reviewed me. Oh, and please ignore the strange things on my review that came from Jamie – that was my homework! L


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